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Reflections on DFI course - Day 1

I attended Digital Fluency Intensive course run by Manaiakalani Trust today. 
I have always felt in my classroom, that technology and ipads were just additional tools that I could use in the classroom, not necessarily needed. I didn't really use ipads in class and I recently started using it as part of my literacy programme. What I have learned today was that it doesn't have to be a side tool, and it can become a tool that students can use to use their imagination and improve their critical thinking skills.

While I was learning the things that we could do with Google Drive and Doc, It took awhile for me to think of a plan for the Create activity, find the right pictures, and find colours that go well together. 
I put together something that kids might like to do, which was a cat cafe advertisement. 

If it was a cat cafe advertisement like I did, kids would need to use their creative and critical thinking skills to plan and make the poster. For example, they would have needed to plan what kind of shops they would like to represent, and what items it would sell.  

I also saw a link to literacy when we were introduced to the audio typing tool. Students in my class can't write by themselves. By using this tool, they could create a short story with just their voice, which wouldn't be possible if we were writing on a piece of paper. This would create more opportunity for great oral language, as they practice saying it slowly and clearly to get it down on the ipad. It would be great practice for their pronunciation and fluency. 

On a personal level, there were lots of shortcuts to be learned. I use Google Drive all the time, but there were some useful tools that I never really used or simply forgotten about. Sometimes this course reminded of me that I could use these tools, or introduced me to a new tool I didn't know about. 

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Comments

  1. Vicki @ ManaiakalaniJuly 28, 2020 at 2:37 PM

    Kia ora Gabrielle,

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the day. I can see that you were really reflecting on the content of the session and how you could implement things in your classroom. I love the idea of the cat cafe advertisement. Do you have 1:1 ipads in your classroom?

    Sometimes those reminders of the little tips and tricks can be just what we need to save time and enable us to work more efficiently.

    Looking forward to continuing to work with you over the next 8 weeks!

    Vicki

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    Replies
    1. Gabrielle ShinJuly 30, 2020 at 1:35 PM

      Thanks for the help through the DFI, and yes we do have 1:1 ipads.
      We haven't been able to use them until end of lockdown though...
      So I'm still trying to get used to teaching with ipads.
      Hopefully DFI will give me some ideas:)

      Delete
    2. Vicki @ ManaiakalaniJuly 30, 2020 at 6:44 PM

      I'm sure there will be a lot we will cover that will be useful for you and your iPads.

      Delete

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